Museum Fellow, Curatorial

Museum Fellow, Curatorial

The Textile Museum Collection, founded in 1925 and now housed at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, is a world-renowned textile arts collection comprised of 21,000 objects drawn primarily from the Asian, African, and indigenous American cultures of the last five millennia. The Textile Museum's mission is to expand public knowledge and appreciation—locally, nationally, and internationally—of the artistic merits and cultural importance of the world's textiles. Through exhibitions, programs, and academic courses, the Museum integrates with diverse disciplines to enrich research, education, and cultural understanding of textile arts both across and beyond The George Washington University (GW). The museum also strengthens the established reputation of the University as a leader in training the next generation of museum professionals and textile scholars.

The purpose of The Textile Museum (TM) Curatorial Fellowship is to support the quality, vitality, and diversity of research in textile studies and strengthen the curators' intellectual care of the textile collection. This includes conducting independent collections research and interpretation of the textile collection for exhibitions, publications, and other ways of knowledge dissemination, alongside building academic and popular interest in textile studies. This fellowship is intended to provide full-time support for the department through the above activities and is not a completion fellowship for the purpose of finishing a dissertation or thesis.

TM Curatorial Fellow undertakes primary and secondary collections-based research at The Textile Museum Collection and is typically an advanced doctoral student or post-doctoral researcher who received their Ph.D. within the past two years, and whose research interest corresponds to The Textile Museum Collection and its current research goals.

Fellowship Expectations

• Present one talk related to their research to a scholarly community and at least one public lecture based on their research to the museum community.
• Write a full-length article for The Textile Museum Journal based on their research findings in The Textile Museum Collection, no later than the year their appointment is completed.
• Bring up-to-date curatorial information for The Textile Museum objects in their research area.
• Participate in curatorial meetings, events, and seminars.
• TM Curatorial Fellow is encouraged to:
• Contribute to the development of museum strategies for the dissemination of scholarly information, including electronic means to strengthen the institution's scholarly role and visibility.
• Engage with the scholarly community and contribute to other museum-generated scholarly initiatives.
• At the end of their appointment, the TM Curatorial Fellow must deliver a final report to the Director of The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum and the Chief Curator of The Textile Museum Collection detailing the work accomplished during the appointment.

The TM Curatorial Fellow appointment is a 1-year appointment with one renewal option and generally runs from September 1 to August 31. Individuals may hold an appointment for no more than two consecutive years. Work will be equally divided between the Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center on the Virginia Science and Technology campus (Ashburn, VA) and at GW's Foggy Bottom campus, where the Museum and resource libraries are located.

Performs other duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications

• Qualified candidates for the Collections, and Conservation Fellowships will hold a Master's degree in a relevant area of study.
• Qualified candidates for the Cotsen Fellowships will hold a Master's degree OR will be pursuing a PhD degree in a relevant area of study.
• Qualified candidates for The Textile Museum Curatorial Fellowship will be pursuing a PhD degree or hold a PhD in a relevant area of study completed within the past two years.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred candidates for The Textile Museum Curatorial Fellowship will be pursuing a PhD degree or hold a PhD in a relevant area of study completed within the past two years. In the current fellowship cycle, applicants with a background in textiles from Mexico or Southeast Asia are desired, but not required.

Hiring Range - $21.80 - $28.32

GW Staff Approach to Pay - How is pay for new employees determined at GW?

Healthcare Benefits

GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit

Campus Location: Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.

College/School/Department: Academic Affairs

Family - Museum & Performing Arts

Sub-Family - Museum and Arts

Stream - Service and Support

Level - Level 1

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Hours Per Week: 40

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Will this job require the employee to work on site? Yes

Employee Onsite Status - On-campus (in person)

Telework: No

Required Background Check: Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search

Special Instructions to Applicants

• Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
• The Limited term of this appointment is 1 year at this time, with the potential of one renewal, for a total of 2 years only from the start date. Individuals may hold an appointment for no more than two consecutive years.
• Candidate's professional training and research interests must correspond with the museum's current activities, research, and academic engagement goals.
• The TM Cultural Fellow is responsible for arranging living accommodations as well as work travel between the Virginia Science & Technology (VSTC) and Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC Campus.

Internal Applicants Only? No

Posting Number: S014197

Job Open Date: 05/13/2026

Job Close Date:

If temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:

Background Screening - Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.

EEO Statement: The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Posting Specific Questions

1. * Are you currently employed with The George Washington University?
   • No
   • Yes
2. * For current GW employees, have you completed your Introductory Employment Period (IEP)? (As a reminder, employees in their IEP are not eligible to apply for other internal university staff and research positions until the IEP is complete.)
   • Yes, IEP complete
   • No, still in IEP
   • N/a - not a current GW employee
3. * What is your salary range expectation? (Open Ended Question)

Documents needed to Apply

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents